Cardiac Decay
by austriantatious
Summary: Sinister voices told Reese to give up her heart if she wanted to fit in with the rest of the world, and she unwilling complied, but virtually no one else knows of the brutal exchange. Will her friends discover the truth and do something to reverse the curse, or will Reese's adventures in Wonderland bear a bad ending? [OC, parallel spin-off to The UnForeigner]


_I remember mother telling me that conformity was something to be feared, and I've always agreed, to an extent. What mother doesn't know is that getting others to conform to__** your**__ will is something to be proud of. I can't say for sure that dear old mother would be pleased by my actions, but I don't ever have to deal with that goody-two shoe again._

I prop myself before a dusty, cracked vanity mirror as disoriented thoughts race through my head. They're no different from the other considerations that plague my mind on a daily basis, but they cannot be ignored, and thus I continue on.

_I must say that giving my heart to this wretched world was probably the best decision I've ever made in my entire, unnatural life._

I start to speak to no one in particular, as the vacant room around me is devoid of all other life, "But that's enough mental chatter for now; the show is about to begin and I must see that my subordinates are kept in line." I push myself away from the mirror and walk studiously to the next room over. The incorrigible faceless children at the circus can be such pests, but a good threat or two (from yours truly) puts them back in their place.

I prepare diligently for the circus production about to occur by checking the straps on my black, knee-high boots. _After all, an influential girl such as myself must look presentable._ I decide to spice up the usual outfit by also settling a dainty blood-red top hat on my head to mimic a certain role holder's fashion.

_Take that, Hatter. I wonder, did I ever return his clothes? That's so ungentlemanly of me. Oh, I really must stop thinking so much before each performance—_ I arrive at the next room and make a grand entrance by kicking down the door. The actors before me quake with dread at my presence, but I snap my fingers to draw their full attention.

"Shall we begin? It's show time."

-;

This exposition is boring me to tears, so I think it's time to give some back story.

It wasn't easy, choosing to stay in Wonderland. From the moment I arrived until I decided to make Wonderland my home, I had wanted nothing more than to leave and regroup with my family in England.

After I nearly slandered my name throughout the country, I sought refuge at the circus and was taken in for a brief amount of time by White and Black Joker (Alice gave the circus master and the prison warden these nicknames to tell them apart). I had barely started my "Game" and yet I had nearly given up on completing it when Joker subjected to me the most fascinating proposal.

The gist of the plan was that I would remain in Wonderland, seeing as wonderful world planned for me to join the Game as a foreign player; the choice for the endgame of a foreigner is that he or she would choose to return to their world or stay in Wonderland forever. However, said outsider would have to meet with every role holder and interact with them to accumulate the medicine that would take them home.

As I've explained, I sorely sought to return home, but the problem with my arrival is that I lacked the vial to store the medicine in, and therefore I had virtually no means of completing my goal. Around the time I realized _that _crucial fact was when White advocated I stay in Wonderland and abandon my desire to recover my lifestyle in the my home-world.

It was a decision that took me a few time turns to muddle over, but eventually I reached the stage where I accepted the plan and gave up any thoughts leaving the nation I'd grown fond of. Once word got out that I was staying, most role holders and a few faceless friends praised me and showed immaculate support of my resolution, but as time went on, it was clear that I could not simply _live_ in Wonderland without consequence.

Since I was not a true player of the game (AKA I wasn't a foreigner without my vial), the world itself turned against me and before I knew it, I was driven into a corner of madness and despair; every night I dreamt of thousands of bodiless voices whispering to me within a dark, enclosed space, and said voices would rehearse a speech of how I was a nobody in the world and why I would never fit in.

Though at first I was able to push past the simple allegations, I soon became paranoid, and every fear and inhibition I'd ever known had ravaged my unhealthy mind to the brink of insanity. Right before I fell over the edge, I was given yet another ultimatum, though this one was significantly more important than the last.

"Give your heart to the land and _perhaps_ you'll fit in," the eerie voices chorused. They sang it over and over, and eventually I succumbed to their wishes by locking myself in a room at the Hatter mansion with only a knife to accompany me.

Anyone who's smart can guess what happened next, though I must inform that I didn't exactly impale myself. Metaphorically speaking, I ripped the beating heart from my chest and tossed it away like a piece of trash. When I awoke the following evening, I no longer felt the customary pulse racing through my veins. The knife was bloody and discarded against the wall, but there were no traces of any body-horror that could have occurred during my time in the room.

When I placed my hand against my chest, I felt the hollow space where my heart once was. That was when my new life as a tyrant began.

-;

The show went well, but I'm only saying that because I choreographed it all while poor White watched on in bitter resentment. I didn't take the position of circus master from him, but I certainly did the job better than he did. _I guess that's just some odd form of natural selection speaking volumes._

Giving the usual speech at the end of the act, I bow and hop off the darkening stage. The audience filters out of the tent and I put on a cheery front until every last member has left. Once the area is clear of the crowd, I clench my teeth and return backstage.

I turn to the actors behind me and give a booming, impassioned clap. They jump and avert their faces as a sign of respect. The corners of my cracked lips curl upwards and I lull, "You all did exceedingly well this show, but I expect a flawless performance next time around. If I do not receive this simple request, you'll all be suffering under my hand." I blow on my nails coolly, acting as if I just applied a new layer of nail polish on them. "Understood?"

"We will do our best," the faceless reply. Hardly pleased, I wave them off and storm out of the paramount tent to raid the cotton candy stall outside. I barely make it a few steps outside when the mask hanging from my belt loop transmits a static voice.

"I'll never understand what the h*ll made you think you can become the god*amn Queen of everything." I recognize the annoying voice as belonging to Black. Surprisingly, I choose to not ignore his challenging call.

"You're being rude. We've had numerous discussions about this, but I think you need some punishment. So go ahead and slice up your left palm a bit. Just see what happens," I arrive at the cotton candy stand and toss the vendor some currency. The faceless man quickly thrusts a pink cone of fluffy food and bows. I nod in approval and walk off, and it isn't until I'm a few yards away that he feels safe to stand again.

Black snorts and objects, "There's no way I'm going to cut my han—sh*t!" I hear the dulcet dripping of blood against the table of his domain. The redhead strings along a series of swear words while I nibble at my sticky sweets. "Stop doing that, you prick!"

I hum and swallow a glob of pink goodness. Spending a few moments to imagine the scene of Black being forced to cut open the porcelain skin of his hand at my command gives me a bit of a thrill, and I secretly think about how I would like for it to happen more often. "Words sting, Black, and you cannot take them back once they have been uttered. I thought I told you that a time change ago! You never listen. Anyway, this is way too amusing for me to stop. You'll just have to deal with it."

"Amusing?! You're sick in the head, kiddo. You better hope you never come to the Prison while I'm here, or I'll—"

I smirk and tap the mask tauntingly. "You'll _what_? You know you can't lay a hand on me. I wonder how it feels; even the notorious Jokers cannot touch a single hair on my callous body. I know power is dangerous, but it is much too glorious to ignore. I'd be jealous, if I were you. From the lame history books I've read on Wonderland, nobody else has had such a gruesome gift." The warden fails to produce an answer, and I stifle a horribly boorish laugh. A second later he cuts off the communication in frustration. _He's being rude again. __I'll have to speak with him about that later._

I polish off the goods in my hand and toss the cone behind me while I peruse the festive grounds. I expertly dodge the piercing stares of the Clover Tower crew, for I don't feel like being lectured by Nightmare in his infinite wisdom (not that I'd listen to him anyways).

Without even bothering to inform anyone of my idea to leave the premises, I strut out the circus and disappear into the forest to keep my solitude.

I weave around the looming trees that seem to judge my every step. For some reason, they don't seem as cheerful as they once were, under the Jokers' rule. _How curious. I wonder if anything else has changed since I've begun my ascent to dictatorship? I have hardly been out of the Jokers' territory to notice._

Seeing as I'm alone, I take the chance to narrate my journey. "I don't suppose anyone from the Hatter family cares what I do; those Bloody Twins might even praise me. Elliot might be upset, but if Blood tells him to pay it no mind, it won't really matter. Obviously nobody at the tower is happy. Thankfully I don't have to deal with _them_ often. I'm not so much worried about Gray and Julius, seeing as I seldom spoke with them, but Nightmare would be like a nagging mother."

I twirl around and start to feel like I did before I lost my heart; the lonely area provides me with some more freedom than the circus. "The park trio might be indifferent, for all I know. Boris is sort of hard to determine, but I guess Gowland and Pierce might be worried." Some more memories flood my brain as I exit the bizarre forest. _I sort of miss hanging out with them. I still never decorated my room at the park_.

I continue on with my train of thought. "I don't know what Ace and Peter would say about my new persona. Oh, but the Queen is surely disappointed by my course of action, not that I can entirely blame her. Though I'm not particularly interested in overthrowing her tyranny, my new found power definitely poses a threat to her kingdom." My eyelids close a bit and I raise my hands before my face as I feel my old identity returning to my tainted spirit.

"My power... why did I receive it, anyway?" The deep sigh escapes my lips and I lament a bit on my decision. "I thought those confounded voices said I would fit in with the role holders, not gain control over them... Who knew my words could actually force others to do as I command?" As I stare at my hands I think back to injuring Black with my punishing words.

_I made him cut his own hand... that was pretty neat. That is my power. I can make people do** whatever** I say..._

_I'm finally in control._

Now the evil conscience that has been bred in my mind since I sacrificed my heart to Wonderland asserts its dominance over my psyche. I laugh maniacally and stretch my arms into the musty air. "Not that _I'm_ complaining. Those fools never saw it coming! They would have _never_ thought I would change as I did. They never treated me like an individual, anyway. To them, I was nothing more than a possible replacement for little Alice Liddell!"

My subsequent scream turns out to be a mixture of joy and excitement. I promptly kick the dirt under my boot, pretending its the world beneath my feet. _Anyone who said autocracy is 'bad' **clearly** never tried it, the poor sods. I'm tired of being pushed around by everything and everyone. I'll just have to take Wonderland by storm... I'll show everyone in this Godforsaken land the kind of person I can truly be._

-;

( Pierce's POV )

I watch as Reese rushes out of the circus without a moment's hesitation, and I feel the urge to chase after her but I'm frightened by what she's become. "Ever since she chose to stay live in Wonderland, she's been super scary and detached...!"

I fail to notice Boris creeping up on me, but once he hears my mumbling me stops with his crafty gait. "Eh? You talkin' about Reese?" He pulls me into a headlock and rubs his fist against my head mercilessly.

"Don't hurt me!" I cry as I try to pull away from his wicked claws. "I-I was just watching her leave..."

"She left already? I wanted to talk to her," Boris groans and gnashes his sharp teeth together. "As stupid and annoying as you are, you do have a point. She only started acting like this after she started living here."

I try to keep my thoughts to myself, but the temptation takes over. "What do you think happened to her? She used to be so nice, but now she doesn't talk to anyone except for the J-Jokers..."

"Don't ask me as if I know what's going on!" Boris hisses, and he tightens the grip on my neck. I thrash about wildly in his arms until he loosens up a bit. "Well, someone has to find out what's happened. I guess that just means _we'll_ have to figure out what's wrong with her!"

"Wh-what?!" I squeal in anxiety, wishing I'd never brought the issue up in the first place. The cat smirks evilly and grabs the back of my collar. He then drags me forward towards the circus' entrance.

"Come on, rat, we've got a mystery to solve and a corrupt girl to chase after."

* * *

**AN: **I _definitely_ have to revise this when I gain more inspiration.  
As the summary explains, this is a spin-off of The Un-Foreigner. It's more of a "what if?" situation where Reese gives up on going home (at White's harmless suggestion) and is tormented by some unknown forces in Wonderland until she agrees to discard her heart to fit in.  
I don't actually know if I want to continue this, and if I do, it might be short. I will go on if anyone would like, but if this seems like it'd be better as a one-shot, I'll gladly re-edit it and add in a definitive ending. ( ´ ω `)


End file.
